Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Diane Ellis, Ed. ·
Sep 13, 2010 at 1:50pm
This video implores twelve-year old girls to tell their facebook friends to tell their twitter friends to tell their parents to vote [Democrat] in the midterm elections for the sake of Justin Bieber, who can't vote himself because he's both underage and Canadian.
Sarah Palin, and now Justin Bieber. This has got to be one of the most pathetic political arsenals in American history.
(h/t Politico)
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May '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Callow, snotty, post-ironic, phone-it-in-hipness. Message: Vote as a joke.
I'm sad to say these people are part of your and James' and Emily's generation Diane. The infamous "Don't-Ice-Me-'Bro," "Waiting on the World To Change," "What's-in-it-for-me?" Generation Y.
Do the Boomers have this disdain for my Gen X? I wonder.
Jul '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
The country being run by adolescents, the ad seems about right. Though am amazed that Democrats would advertise that some people may not be eligible to vote.
May '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
At first I thought it was a none-too-clever spoof. But no, it's legit, sort of (doubt it was endorsed by anyone in particular). I don't see how the Dems can lose with the double-pronged attack of Boehner hate and Bieber love.
They did show two ignominious Bieber moments: the being whacked by an audience projectile and the high-speed Segway failure to escape (they're after me! Onto my mighty Segway!). However, they left out the revolving door incident as seen here in a oddly SFW Red Eye segment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6OtL5z2t9w
May '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Somewhere in America, a kid has been grounded for telling her parents how to vote.
Jun '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Boy, that was a waste of 76 seconds. Now I'll have to go watch the Ricochet Fan video at least twice to wash that away.
How does the average pre-teen view something like that? Does the video plant a subconscious impulse that will suddenly resurface when they turn 18, compelling them to vote Democrat for reasons they know not why? Or, upon actually coming of age, will they look back and realize how childish such celebrity fads are, with Bieber going the way of various flame-out boy-bands (New Kids on the Block comes to mind), and make up their own minds?
Aug '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
The ad in the margin right now proclaims: "Do You Like Justin Bieber? Find Out If You Could Be His Girlfriend!"
I'm not a man, so I can't logically feel emasculated. Nonetheless, I find this ad emasculating. And the videoclip by Campus Progress...
Are y'all sure the clip's not a joke?
May '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
I dunno, Midge. You see a lot of spoof ads, but they're usually funny. This one was lame. And, checking their other output of Campus Progress (I did actual research!), they mainly make fun of Tea Partiers.
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Jim Chase: How does the average pre-teen view something like that?
Good question! I'm actually curious to hear the word-for-word reactions of any pre-teen children of Ricochet members. Of course, it has to comply with the Code of Conduct, but if you've got an eleven or twelve year old nearby, ask them to share their feedback on the video with us!
May '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Guys you are taking it too literally. It's not intended for 12 year-olds. It's intended to be viewed by other 20-somethings. It's meant to be hip and ironic. It's meant to be funny but it's also intended to motivate a 20-something to vote. They're hoping it goes viral and becomes a "thing," like Sarah Silverman's video about getting your Jewish grandparents in Florida to vote for the schwartze. It's trying to deliver a message that is cool and hip but also actionable. if you don't get it, then you're not the intended audience. Another form of dog whistle marketing.
Edited on Sep 13, 2010 at 2:43pmJun '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Perhaps you're right, Trace. That said, I've never been more glad to be "not the intended audience."
Now, if you can get the Old Spice guy to chase Bieber down on a horse ....
Edited on Sep 13, 2010 at 2:51pmRe: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Trace Urdan: Guys you are taking it too literally. It's not intended for 12 year-olds. It's intended to be viewed by other 20-somethings. It's meant to be hip and ironic. It's meant to be funny but it's also intended to motivate a 20-something to vote. They're hoping it goes viral and becomes a "thing," like Sarah Silverman's video about getting your Jewish grandparents in Florida to vote for the schwartze. It's trying to deliver a message that is cool and hip but also actionable. if you don't get it, then you're not the intended audience. Another form of dog whistle marketing. · Sep 13 at 2:42pm
Edited on Sep 13 at 02:43 pm
Then how do you get it, Trace? You must be the intended audience :)
Aug '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Funny? Eh, mayyybe, if you're into that sort of stuff....
Motivating? I don't see how it could be motivating unless at least one of the following holds:
a) You don't mind having your intelligence and integrity insulted. (Vote just 'cuz some boy-toy told me to? What? Do you think I'm that stupid?)
b) You take your vote so unseriously (feel so little responsibility for it, etc), that you don't mind voting just 'cuz some boy-toy told you to.
c) You think it makes sense to you to use your vote as a Canadian proxy vote (when Canadians can vote -- in Canada).
At some point, adding more levels of irony amounts to no more than switching the two poisoned chalices of The Princess Bride. It's useless. And irony no longer means what you think it means.
Jun '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
Trace Urdan: Callow, snotty, post-ironic, phone-it-in-hipness. Message: Vote as a joke.
I'm sad to say these people are part of your and James' and Emily's generation Diane. The infamous "Don't-Ice-Me-'Bro," "Waiting on the World To Change," "What's-in-it-for-me?" Generation Y.
Do the Boomers have this disdain for my Gen X? I wonder. · Sep 13 at 2:02pm
Not if you left home for good when you finished college
Jun '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
I think the target audience is 12-year-olds, who while visiting Grandma, might hide her reading glasses, and "help" her fill out and mail her absentee ballot.
Aug '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
my 13yr old came in last from the music awards to get us to vote for lady gaga and also to get some mayo and onions for the dress tempest meet teapot
Aug '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
It's often said that the Democrats are the girl party and the Republicans are the boy party. At times, though, it seems more like the Democrats are the juvenile party and the Republicans are the adult party. Even my liberal Mom, who is as mature as you would expect of an 80-year-old, begins to sound just a smidgeon on the adolescent side when discussing politics. (Luv you, Mom!)
Jul '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
The "Vote Again 2010" tagline gives the game away. They've seen the recent polls indicating that Obama's hip cool youth vote is losing steam, and they're panicking.
On another note, I wonder what Justin Bieber's management people think of this.
Sep '10
Re: Desperate Democrats Appeal to Twelve Year Olds
All other considerations aside, that is just a gawdawful video. It fails in every way on every possible level.
Unbelievable.
Justin Bieber should be humiliated.
Edited on Sep 14, 2010 at 3:34am